


After Twilight

by LuthienLuinwe



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Angst, Arranged Marriage, F/M, Flashbacks, Forced Marriage, Gerudo Culture, Guilt, Politics, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rebuilding, Royal life, Serious Injuries
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2019-05-09 11:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14714795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuthienLuinwe/pseuds/LuthienLuinwe
Summary: Post-Twilight Princess. The crisis has ended, and peace has been restored to the land of Hyrule. However, all is not well. Recovering from the loss of Midna, learning to cope with court life, and handling unrest in Hyrule, Link struggles in his path. He wanted to return home, but was unsure he could. After all, sometimes it is easier to win the war than to win the peace.





	1. Chapter 1

It had all happened so suddenly. They had been fighting. The rain had been pouring. And he'd been tired. Goddesses he'd been tired. Everything ached. There were grazes all across his skin. His own fault. He’d been careless, fueled with rage instead of courage. He needed to change his mindset. If he didn’t, he would get himself killed. He would get all of them killed.

Link’s blade pierced through his foe’s armor, and he felt sick to his stomach. He heard the Gerudo let out an unearthly scream, the scream of a dying man. Already his skin was turning pale, though the fire in his cruel eyes burned bright. "Do not think this ends here," his hate-filled eyes met Link's. "The history of light and shadow will be written in blood!"

The Hero watched as Ganondorf died, and felt guilty at the relief he felt. Because Ganondorf was still a man, no matter how sick and twisted of a man. But it was Link’s destiny to end him and save the kingdom of Hyrule. Now he was gone. Hyrule could live in peace and harmony once more, hopefully for good. So why did it still feel all wrong?

What seemed an eternity later, the barricade had disappeared. Only then did he realize he was bleeding, crimson staining green. "You're hurt," Zelda approached him. Link glanced down. His tunic was slashed, blood soaking through it. None of that was important. He needed to find her. He started to move forward, but the Princess tried to stop him. "Link," she said softly. He shook his head and looked at something in the distance. Something hopeful. Her.

Despite his injuries, he ran to her, stopping only to marvel at the spirits over her. The spirits, he hoped, that would bring her back to him. Though the form seemed different, he knew it had to be her. The other Twili beings had gone from the world of the Light. Only she would have stayed, even if she no longer belonged. He watched her turn, her face more radiant, her form more pure than the imp form Zant had cursed her with.

"What?" she spoke at last, the familiar tease in her tone. He was glad her personality had stayed the same. "Say something," her voice was more regal than he had remembered. "Am I so beautiful that you've no words left?"

He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. To hug her or remain where he stood. So he smiled, and he stared, wishing he could stay in that moment for all of eternity. He ignored the dark spots infiltrating his vision, finally consuming his sight as he fell to the ground.

* * *

 

_He was in a familiar place, a calm place. The clear, blue spring water reflected the perfect sky above. The sand was warm against his feet. And in the middle of the fountain, she stood, caring for Epona. He hadn't meant for his horse to be injured, truly he hadn't. He'd only wanted to save the village children, the ones he always looked out for. But she was still his responsibility, and he understood Ilia's outrage toward him, even if he wasn’t happy with it._

_"I had no idea… I hadn't heard the details about Talo's capture…," Ilia said to Colin. As promised, he had explained the monkey situation to her. Link wished he could have explained it himself. But he knew Colin had made the wise decision. Link would not get anywhere with Ilia, not when everything was still so heated. "But, Colin…"_

_He'd crawled through the opening and approached them, maybe too quickly, maybe just quickly enough._ _She turned to face him, a startled expression on her features. Epona started toward him, but Ilia gently held her back. "So you still prefer your master over me, huh Epona?" she sighed before turning to Link._

_"Don't worry about your horse, Link. Fortunately, it looks like the injury isn't too serious. You two can go on together," she paused, contemplative. "But, Link, can you at least promise me this?" She looked at him from the corner of her eye. "No matter what happens on your journey, don't try to do anything… out of your league. Please. Just come home safely."_

_He had nodded. He had made a promise he couldn't keep. But how could he have known what was to happen next? All he had wanted was to take the gift to the princess, Zelda, and to return home. He had a plan in place. He was to marry Ilia, whom he loved, and become mayor of the village. He would help the village to grow. Ordon would never be great, but maybe it could be more than just a stopping ground for out-of-kingdom travelers._

_He never would have dreamed that village would be so small in comparison to the rest of the world. Why would he have? It was all he'd ever known._

_He didn't ask to be the Hero._

* * *

 

"He's awake," he heard a familiar voice say. Blinking, he looked around, trying to get his vision back into focus. He tried to sit up, but a striking pain in his torso forced him back down. A dark hand moved across his forehead. "Still warm, though."

And he remembered. He remembered his sword piercing Ganondorf's heart. He remembered running to Midna, hoping beyond all hope that she was okay, that she was safe. He remembered feeling relief… And he remembered waking up.

The room was unfamiliar, and certainly unlike anything Link had grown accustomed to in his village. The bed was larger, softer. The walls were decorated with elaborate tapestries, and the room was furnished. Two women sat at his side. Both tall, both royalty, but both very different. One calm, collected, the other sassy but concerned.

"How are you feeling?" Zelda asked him. She had changed from her elaborate court gown into another, still extravagant but less so.

"Hurts," he croaked out. Goddesses it seemed like ages since he had last spoken. He hadn't needed to. He had needed to focus on saving his world, on saving Midna's world. He couldn't believe the Midna standing before him was the same he had come to know, the same imp who had harassed him, who had essentially enslaved him, who he had come to love and care for. She was more regal, and she was infinitely more beautiful.

"You took a hard fall," Midna said. "Not to mention that nasty gash." Link just nodded and tried to sit up again. This time, Zelda assisted him.

"The others?" he looked between them.

"All fine," Zelda assured. "Celebrating at Telma's bar. You know how they are." Link just nodded. He wished he could be with them, with his friends. He assumed they were still his friends, at least. He was unsure as to his new status, as to his new expectations. After all, his job was done.

"Rest," Midna said to him. "I want you with me, when I return home."

Link sighed and stared at the ceiling. Home. Her home. He had forgotten. She wasn't meant to stay in the world of the Light. Her people needed her, and she them. They had as much rebuilding ahead in the Twilight Realm as Zelda had in Hyrule. But he knew where the Mirror was. He could visit. They would never truly be apart. He nodded and looked over at her.

"You and the princess will both be there," Midna glanced at Zelda, who nodded as well. The Twilight Princess turned back to Link. "Thank you," she said, two words Link had never really thought he would hear from her.

He wanted to reply, to tell her he couldn't have done it without her. To beg her not to leave. But sleep took him before he could, and the Hero rested.

* * *

 

The journey to the Gerudo Desert had been a long one to say the very least. Unable to warp with Zelda, and unable to use the cannon route with Zelda, the Hero, the Princess, and the Twilight Princess had been forced to journey by foot. And naturally, Zelda's personal guards had insisted upon accompanying the trio. Midna and Link had both insisted they were more than capable of protecting the princess. They had, after all, saved two realms. Despite their arguments, the Captain of the Guard insisted, as did Zelda.

"It must be difficult," Midna said. "Constantly being followed."

"It is not so bad," Zelda responded. "One can never be too safe in the current times."

Link just sighed and focused on the route ahead. He didn't want to see Midna go, had begged her to stay, but he knew she had to leave. She had her people to take care of. They needed her to help the recovery from the coup and the invasion. It was selfish of him to ask her to stay. It would not be fair and it would not be right for him to ask her to stay. Though Goddesses knew he wished he could be selfish for once in his life. At least, in taking the long way around, he was given more time with her. And at least he would be able to visit her, or her him.

The journey to the desert was long and hard, but the journey through the desert was even longer and harder. From brutally hot days to bitterly cold nights, the group journeyed onward toward the Mirror Chamber. "I cannot believe you traveled this alone," Zelda marveled.

"Not alone," Link corrected and glanced at Midna, who smiled slightly. He still was not used to her new form. He doubted he ever would be.

"Watch your step, Princess," a guard said and escorted Zelda away from the unstable ground she was about to step on. Link could have sworn he saw the Captain shoot him a dirty look. And maybe it was deserved. After all, Link had not been paying attention to where Zelda was stepping. He had assumed she knew the way as well as he did. He thought himself a fool for that.

They talked as they walked. "And of course, we will have to ensure something like this never happens again," Zelda said to Midna. Link did notcontribute. He was an adventurer, a hero, not a ruler. Besides, his life was easier the further he stayed away from politics. Problems seemed easier solved with blades than with words.

"We will," Midna promised and focused on the way ahead. All too soon, the Mirror Chamber appeared.

"We can make it from here," Zelda informed her guards. "I will be more than safe with you waiting outside."

"But Princess," the Captain started to cut in.

"We will be fine," Zelda said more firmly before leading Midna and Link into the chamber.

Link remembered the first time he had been in it. He remembered how dark it was, how eerie. He remembered the sense of dread he'd felt when he saw the Mirror of Twilight broken. He remembered Midna's despair at the revelation. And he remembered learning of Ganondorf. Of course he had heard stories of the fearsome Ganon growing up, and how the young Hero had warned everyone of what was to come. But those were stories. There was no truth to them. At least he had thought. Months after that first encounter, and days after the final death of Ganondorf, the place still seemed eerie and unsettling to him.

The three gathered around the Mirror, Link watched the portal before them before turning to Midna. "Well... I guess this is farewell," she said to them. Link nodded and waited for her to continue. "Light and shadow can't mix, as we all know." He wished they could. He wished beyond anything they could. Had not he and she proven that? "But..." she continued. "Never forget that there's another world bound to this one."

He could never forget that other world. He could never forget being dragged into it the first time, being alarmed and confused. He could never forget entering the realm itself, the realm Midna called home. He could never forget her.

"Shadow and light are two sides of the same coin," Zelda spoke up, addressing Midna. "One cannot exist without the other." She paused, contemplative. "I know now the reason the Goddesses left the Mirror of Twilight in this world. They left it because it was their design that we should meet."

 _The Goddesses are cruel, then,_ Link thought. They were cruel to put his village through so much pain. They were cruel to put Midna through that torment. They were cruel to allow Zant and Ganondorf to destroy so much, to take so many lives, to destroy so many others. "Yes, that is what I believe," Zelda continued. Link couldn't help but think of how political the whole thing sounded. Midna had helped save them. Without her, there was no way Link could have defeated Zant and Ganondorf. He wanted Zelda to say something more profound, something more heartfelt. And she had given that.

"Zelda, your words are kind and your heart is true," Midna responded. _More politics,_ thought Link. "If all in Hyrule are like you, then maybe you'll do alright." Link couldn't bear to tell her that not all were like her. Not even most were like her. He needed her to be happy when she left, to feel peaceful about parting. And when he saw her again, he would tell her only of the people like Zelda, like himself, like herself.

He watched her approach the mirror, ready to make her departure. He wanted to run after her, to stop her, to beg her not to go. But he held back. She needed to return. He knew that. "Thank you," the Twilight Princess turned to them. Link took her in, wanting to remember her in her true form. "Well, the Princess spoke truly. As long as that mirror's around, we could meet again..." That was his one hope. This was not goodbye, it was goodbye-for-now. He would see her again. He had to see her again. He could not imagine life without her.

"Link," she said. He saw a tear from the corner of her eye. He frowned as she caught it. He thought maybe that was how the Twili cried. After all, they were different from Hylians in so many ways. "I..." He watched the tear float toward the Mirror. "See you later."

He heard the mirror shatter before he saw it. Desperately, he turned back to Midna, who turned to face them one last time.

The Twilight Princess returned to the Twilight.

The Mirror shattered.

And the Hero broke.

 


	2. Chapter 2

He wanted to go home. More than anything in the world, he wanted to go home. He wanted his house, he wanted his woods, he wanted to show off his sword skills to the village children, and he wanted to talk to Ilia. Things would never be the same between them. How could they be?

He couldn't go home, though. No, for the time being, he was confined to the castle. Zelda claimed it was for his health, but he doubted that was the full truth. Granted he couldn't promise not to try and find another way into the Twilight Realm if he did leave.

He wanted to hate Midna. He wanted to hate her for leaving him, for destroying their one chance of seeing one another again. But he couldn't hate her.

The past several days had been hell. He dreamed of her, only to wake and remember that she was gone, gone forever. Other times he would sleep only to dream of the horrors he had endured in trying to save her realm, in trying to save his own realm. More than once he had woken screaming in the dead of the night.

He had been wandering the castle, hoping it would alleviate at least part of his restlessness. He paused when he heard voices from a nearby room.

"It is past time she assumes the throne," he heard a woman's voice say. Zelda had tried to teach him the names, but he couldn't remember most of them. Everyone in her court looked the same after awhile, all dressed in finery, all with perfectly done hair, all with the sense of superiority they pretended not to have.

"You know the law," another voice, this time a man's, said. "She must be wed first."

"I don't see why," the woman responded. "It's not like her suitor would become king, after all."

"No," the man conceded. "But the people like to see a pair on the throne."

Link sighed and kept walking. He had no interest in court politics. He had no real interest in Zelda either. They had become acquaintances, friends would be stretching the word, but that was all. He had saved her, she had thanked him, they talked from time to time.

Until he had come to the castle, he had thought Hyrule was all that was out there, at least aside from the Twilight Realm and the City in the Sky. His mistake had quickly been corrected, both by Zelda and by her advisors. She had insisted Link attend meetings. He had, after all, saved them all. She believed he could provide valuable insight to the group.

His ideas, however, were almost always shot down. They were either too reckless, too complicated, or not complicated enough. They were plans that may have worked for Link himself, but would surely have failed in larger groups.

It didn't help either that each time he addressed the princess by her given name, he was met with appall from the others. "Her Royal Majesty," more than one had corrected. "Soon to be Her Grace."

"I thought Her Grace was a title reserved for Goddesses?" Link had snapped back on a particularly bad day.

"And the Goddesses' chosen ruler," the advisor said. "Even schoolboys know that."

"Tal," Zelda said sternly. "Enough."

"Forgive me, Your Royal Majesty," Tal apologized, placing extra emphasis on the styling while a slight smirk showed at the corner of his mouth. "I just could not bear the thought of this, this farm boy disrespecting you like that."

"Need I remind you that farm boy saved us all?" Zelda raised an eyebrow.

"Of course," Tal responded. "After you had sold us all to the Twili."

"That's quite enough," the woman who's name Link could not remember intervened.

It seemed like all the meetings had gone that way. Link wasn't sure why Zelda still insisted he come. It wasn't like he was of any use to her anymore. It wasn't as if anyone in her council liked, or even tolerated him. "The people do," Zelda had told him after he had voiced his frustrations. "They adore you." She did not say it aloud, but Link could hear the unsaid, 'And despise me.'

The Hero eventually made his way to his room, rather his chambers. Beth would have loved having such grandiosity, he thought. Tapestries on the wall, rugs on the floor, fine cloth covering everything in sight... He should have loved it, especially after months of sleeping on the ground, in the dirt, after years of sleeping in a straw stuffed mattress.

He wanted nothing more than to return to that life

* * *

 

_His eyes were full of madness, full of hatred directed toward the Hero. He was out to kill, not to injure. Already, Link was exhausted. They had fought and fought and fought, and yet Zant the Usurper would not fall. And at last, the fight seemed to be at an end. The Usurper lunged at Link, dual weapons in hand. His moves were erratic, senseless. And that scared Link more than anything. He could fight the enemy he knew, the predictable enemy. And Zant was anything but predictable._

He woke in a cold sweat, and it took Link several moments to remember where he was, safe, in the castle. He took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself. Each night the nightmares worsened. He doubted they would ever stop. And it wasn't as if he could share his feelings with anyone. No one else could possibly understand.

It was dark in the room, the only light the remnants of a flickering candle. Doubting he could fall back to sleep, Link sat up and pulled on a nightshirt. Barefoot, he lit another candle and made his way out of his chambers.

He disliked the castle. It was full of nothing but bad memories, memories of the horror and destruction that had plagued Hyrule, that had plagued him. Memories of his final days with Midna, who was long gone. Memories of several near-death experiences when making his way to face Ganondorf. The sense of dread was still in the pit of his stomach, but in wandering around he could at least stay somewhat occupied.

"And to someone of such low birth?" he overheard a voice. Curiosity got the better of them, and he stood pressed against the wall, out of sight of the doorway. "It's laughable," he recognized Tal's voice.

"I know," another male voice spoke. Link recognized it, but couldn't place a name. "I doubt he even knows how to read, let alone write."

"The council will never allow it," Tal said smugly. "They'll insist she marry some lord from abroad. They'll have to. He has no name, at least none of any relevance."

"But he is Farore's chosen hero," the second voice reminded. Link took in a sharp breath, wondering why Zelda's advisors could be discussing him behind closed doors in the dead of night."Though I"m sure he'll continue insisting on returning to that pathetic, middle-of-nowhere village."

"If the Princess commands him, he'll have no choice in the matter," Tal responded. "But don't worry, my friend. We'll make sure that never happens."

Link quickly made his way back to his chambers. determined to confront Zelda the following morning. If she would allow him, that was. Her advisors had insisted he be required to request an audience with Her Royal Highness, as any other would. It didn't matter that he had saved her, that he had saved all of them. No, protocol was more important than anything, it seemed.

He wanted to return home. He wanted to speak with Rusl, to get advice from him on what to do now that his life had been turned completely upside down. He wanted reassurance that everything would be fine, that he could go back to his old life and act as though nothing had ever happened. But so, so much had happened. And he knew, deep down, that life would never be the same again.

He set the candle at his bedside, preferring to sleep in a lit room. The eerie glow reminded him of the Twilight, of her. Odd as it sounded, he found comfort in that. The dark, after all, brought nothing but memories and horrific permutations of memories. The light brought nothing but stress and longing for home. The Twilight was comforting, peaceful.

It seemed lifetimes ago, that evening at the spring. _"Tell me, do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls?"_ Rusl had asked him. _"That is why loneliness always pervades the hour of twilight."_

But Link did not feel lonely during the twilight hours. No, he felt closer to her, the one who had endured everything with him. The one who had always been at his side. He felt the sadness as the twilight hour faded into darkness.

* * *

 He woke with a pain radiating across the gash on his chest. Carefully, he propped himself up, not wanting to agitate the still-healing wound further. He blinked as he glanced around, and saw a familiar face at his side. "Should you be here?" he asked her through gritted teeth. It was rare the princess was ever on her own, rarer still that she would be in someone's private chambers.

"I spoke with the captain," Zelda said. "He waits outside."

"Why are you here?" Link demanded. He had wanted to see Zelda that day, it was true, but he had wanted it to be on his own terms.

"Doctor Borville came to check on you earlier this morning," Zelda answered softly. Link couldn't help but wonder if her tone ever changed. "He was worried the wound is becoming infected. Fortunately it just needed a good cleaning."

Link just nodded and stared at the ceiling. He wanted to ask her about what he had overheard the night before, but he wasn't entirely sure how to bring it up. Being a man of few words, he always liked to think out his responses, and anticipate how others would react.

"Prince Railis is to be crowned in a fortnight," Zelda said after a moment. Link blinked in surprise. The boy was so young, after all. But then, the Zora King and Queen had passed, and there was no one to rule in his place. "You know the way better than any of us. You will be accompanying me and my guards tomorrow."

"It takes less than a fortnight to travel there," Link muttered. At least that meant getting out of the castle though. He doubted he could spend much more time there. Everything reminded him of his fight with Ganondorf, of Midna, of everything he wanted to forget.

"Not with a royal caravan," Zelda said. Link sighed, nodded, and stared back up at the ceiling. There had to be an ulterior motive for her asking him to accompany her. There was always an ulterior motive with Zelda, he had noticed.

"And when will you be crowned?" Link asked after a long stretch of silence.

"Under Hyrulian law, I cannot be crowned until I am wed," Zelda said evenly. Link rolled his eyes. Zelda had been ruling the kingdom since her father's death years earlier, yet she still did not hold the official title of Queen. "But I believe I have found someone."

"I'm happy for you," Link responded out of politeness more than anything else. Maybe if she'd found a suitor, she would let him return to his old life. Though he doubted even that would change things. "Who?"

"You," Zelda replied simply.

Link abruptly jerked and turned to face her, shaking his head furiously. "I never agreed to that," he said sharply. He rarely lost his demeanor, but they had not discussed it. They had not discussed anything of substance since he'd been confined to the castle.

"It makes sense, Link," Zelda said evenly. "We are both chosen by the Goddesses. Tradition would have me marry some foreign highborn, but given something like this happens maybe once every couple of hundred, if not thousand, years, it makes sense that we wed."

Link kept shaking his head. He had a home, a home that was not situated in the center of the country. A home full of people he cared for, a home with the pair that had raised them, he had Ilia... He could not imagine spending his life with Zelda, locked away in a castle, no longer free to roam and adventure as he pleased. She was beautiful, yes, but he did not love her.

"It's for the good of the kingdom, Link," Zelda looked into his eyes.

"And what about me?" Link asked, a question he normally would never have asked, especially out loud. But he was tired, so very tired of putting everyone else first. Was it not his turn to be happy? Was it not time for him to think of himself, of his own happiness?

"This isn't about us, Link," Zelda sighed deeply. "Surely by now you understand that."

Of course. It was never about themselves, not when it came to Zelda, not when it came to any of the great rules and heroes throughout Hyrulian history. Perhaps what made her a strong leader was the same trait that made individuals dislike her. She didn't care about herself or anyone of use to her. She cared about keeping her people happy. Even if it made some miserable.

And though he knew he wouldn’t like it, he knew he was going to have to do the same.

 


End file.
